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Built on 12.7.60, this Sprite was
originally painted Iris Blue and registered on 18.7.60 as GUY 603 for its first
owner Guy Wilson, a solicitor from Carlisle, Cumbria. It was dispatched to the
Donald Healey Motor Co. at Grosvenor Street, London, and converted to Sebring
specification - Girling disc brakes, wire wheels, etc., for Guy to compete in
motorsport activities at club level.
The following year on 12.4.61 the car was re-registered 410 EAO and offered for
sale by John Sprinzel Ltd., Lancaster Mews, London, and purchased by Andrew
Hedges. Part of the deal included the fitment of alloy coupe bodywork by
Williams & Pritchard Ltd. When completed, the car was painted metallic Healey
Ice Blue with a dark blue stripe broadening to the width of the grille aperture,
echoing that of a small number of cars racing under the Scuderia Light Blue
banner. Expert tuner Don Moore provided the race engine.
The cars debut event in alloy coupe form was the 1000 km race at the Nurburgring
in May 1961. With Andrew Hedges, and fellow team mate Bill McCowen sharing the
driving, it finished 4th in class and 32nd overall.
At the end of a very full and successful 1961 season, the car was overhauled by
Abingdon's Competitions Dept. Once again, it returned to John Sprinzel Ltd. and
was advertised in October 1961, for £1,150. However, the Sprite was
purchased by its next owner - Les Arnold, after noticing the car on
its trailer and following it across London.
Les Arnold was the owner of a fleet of London taxis and competed with
410 EAO
during 1962 and 1963, mainly in club events. He achieved great success with the
car and as a result was offered a drive with the Healey Motor Company (sharing
with Clive Baker), for Le Mans in 1964. However, the invitation was declined.
In 1964, the car passed into the hands of Michael Barnett. Unfortunately,
during his ownership and while practising for a race at Oulton Park that year,
410 EAO rolled at Lodge Corner crushing the alloy roof and damaging the rear
alloy panelling. The alloy roof was deemed to be beyond repair and scrapped,
but the rear alloy bodywork was repaired. The car was repainted - still Ice
Blue, but without the dark blue stripe. A standard Sprite windscreen and glass
fibre hardtop were also fitted. Thereafter, it was sold to Michael Barnett's
brother-in-law for use on the road.
At
the NEC Birmingham Classic Motor Show in November 2008 a guy names
Chris Milner turned up to reveal that he had previously owned EAO.
Apparently he bought the car in 1965 (to be confirmed), after responding
to an ad' in Autosport. He paid about £430 for it from a guy in
Manchester. He travelled up from Plymouth where he was living, and
returned home with EAO the same day. He was a member of Plymouth Motor
Club and used EAO in club circuit race meetings for one season only.
Following previous owner Michael Barnett's accident in 1964, the car now
had a W&P/Speedwell type glassfibre hardtop painted in O.E.W. Towards
the end of the '65(?) season, the engine went rough and was removed. A
strip down revealed a crack in the F.J. crankshaft! With no money for
repairs the car was sold in bits and Chris Milner moved on to racing
with Ford Escorts and later Capris.
By 1967, 410 EAO had made its way to Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands,
owned by Warwick Edgington and used occasionally on the road as a "fun, second
car". It was acquired by Graham Jacques in the early 1970s. Its past history
long forgotten, he employed it as daily transport until the winter of 1975, when
he lost control on 'black ice' and struck a lamppost.
The Sprite then sat in the owners garden, exposed to the elements for 12 years,
before being moved. It was eventually discovered by Jonathan Whitehouse-Bird
during November 1990, housed in a semi-derelict warehouse, when Graham Jacques
offered the car for sale.
410 EAO is currently undergoing a meticulous rebuild to its original 1961
specification. Len Pritchard, of Williams and Pritchard, now in his 80's was
persuaded to make a new alloy hardtop for the car, and this is now fitted. Its
first registration - GUY 603 survives, currently on a silver 1979
Fiat X1/9 sports car.
Former owner of the car, Andrew Hedges, sadly died in 2005.
To see Jonathan's super restoration photo gallery detailing the complete
rebuild click here.
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